willmott



To all 'whom t may concern UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. WILLMOTT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AMOS H.

BRAINARD, AND CHARLES H. BRAINARD.

Y Boor-CRIME.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,074, dated August 25, 1857.

-of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Crimping Boot-Legs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- VFigure 1, is a plan. Fig. 2, an elevation. Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section through ythe same. Fig. 4, a plan of the frame work of the machine the upper portions being removed. Fig. 5, will be referred to hereafter.

The bootV crimps heretofore in use have served only to give the general form to the boot leg which was then rubbed down and the crimping finished by hand This double operation is rendered necessary by the fact that the bulk of the crimping is required in the foot, very little being necessary for the leg proper; and no machines have heretofore been contrived in which this crimping of the foot without the leg could be eiected without the assistance of the hand operation.

To accomplish this en d and to complete the crimping without removing the leather from the machine is the object of my present invention which consists in pivoting the crimping lever or brake at or near the base of the jaws, in such a manner that as the lever is operated the crimping and stretching shall all or nearly all be thrown upon the foot. y

' My invention consists furthermore in a peculiar clamp or pincers for the purpose of holding the leather to the brake, and of drawing it up and stretching it as the crimping proceeds, said clamp being self operating, and not requiring to be worked by hand for the purpose either of closing the pincers to grip the leather or of raising them to stretch it.

In the said drawings A, is a table, or stand of iron to which is pivoted at a the bent lever or brake b, (seen in red, in Fig. 2 raised out of the jaws.) To the top of the stand A, is secured the crimping jaws C, which are composed of the cast iron pieces y, and the wooden facings a, which are held together by screws and pins c. The f acings c, are bound by brass bands w, seen'in section in Fig. 3. Through one of the jaws C,

leaving the shoulders 17, at each corner. At-

tached to the lower edge of each of the jaws is a projection or tenon lz, seen dotted in Fig. 2 and having a shoulder 7c, at each end. The tenon of one jaw is inserted in the center or longer portion of the slit g, and is moved over against one side of it. Then in like manner the tenon of the other jaw is inserted and moved over against the opposite side of the slit, the shoulders 7c, of the tenons catching under the corners z', where they are held by the screws when these are tightened up.

From the elbow of the bent lever or brake B rises two standards F, between which slides the double nippers or pincers Gr, which are held and guided by the pins Z, projecting from them on both sides of the standards F. These pincers are formed as seen in section in Fig. 3, the stationary jaws I, being formed in one piece to which the movable jaws H are pivoted at m. These pincers grasp the corners of the piece of leather to be crimped and draw it up against the bent lever B, as will now be more fully explained. The longer arms of the pincers H embrace the block or nut K, seen dotted 1n Fig. 2 and in section in Fig. 3 which is moved up and down by the screw L turning within it. The operation of drawing up the block tends first to.close the pincers and then to raise them up.

Attached to the top of the standards F, is a circular hollow box M, containing a spring N, (Fig. 3,) one end of which is fast to the screw rod L. This rod passes through and turns in the bar M, and has attached to it above the box a ratchet wheel O, into the teeth of which engages a pawl p, se-k cured to the top of the box. The screw rod L, is turned by the hand wheel P. This rod is reduced a little at that part which passes through the box leaving a shoulder at r, which rests against the under side of A the box so that as the hand wheel P is turned in the direction of its arrow Fig. 2, winding up the spring N, the block K, of the pincers is forced down, relieving the grasp of the jaws at n, andas the wheel is still further turned the pincers are carried down toward the jaws C, ready to receive the two corners of the piece of leather, thek pawl p, retaining it in this position until the leather be adjusted in the pincers.

That the machine may occupy less space t-he handle of the lever B is jointed at g, and is fastened down when in place by a thumb screw S.

Operation: The piece of leather cut out of the proper shape for the front of the boot (Fig. 5,) is laid upon the jaws C, immediately over the space or opening between them, the toe being toward the pivot a. The brake B, is then brought down and the leather is forced in between the jaws which have been previously adjusted at the requisite distance apart. The hand wheel P, is now turned until the pincers have descended suticiently low to allow the points Z, to enter the jaws. Until this is effected the pincers are held .down by the pawl p. This pawl is now tripped and spring N, immediately draws up the block K, tightening the pincers, and then raises the latter with a force just suthcient to take up the slack of the leather as the crimping proceeds. The brake is now worked up and down by hand until the creases and wrinkles are worked out and the crimping is completed. It will be observed that at the turn of the instep and upon the foot the leather is drawn and rubbed directly from the edge of the brake while along the leg where less crimping is required, nothing more is requisite than to rub out the wrinkles which are made by changing the form of the leather,

and thus the operation is performed even more perfectly than can be done by hand, the crimping being completed before the leather leaves the machine. The boot leg is nowremoved VfromV the brake and is tacked as usual to the form upon which it is left to dry.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is* 1. The device herein described for operating the pincers consisting essentially of the block 7c the screw L the spring N, ratchet o, and pawl p operatingy in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The device herein employed for the purpose of securing the jaws to the stand Vconsisting essentially of the slit g with its shoulders z' and the tenon h with its shoulders 7c operating in the manner set forth.

Witness my hand this seventh day of March 1857.

WILLIAM W. VILLMOTT.

In presence of- THos. R. RoAci-I, SAM. COOPER. 

